Pneumatic player action



July 13, 1926. 1,592,297

T. J. GREENE PNEUMATICI PLAYER ACTION Filed May 28,v 1923 fvu/enforf v eff,

liatentecl July 13, 1926.

UNITED STATES` isaiasi THOIVIAS J. GREENE, 0F BELLEVUE, PENNSYLVANIA.

PNEUMATIC PLAYER ACTON.

Application vfiled May 28,

This invention relates to player pianos,

- and Vhas for its object to provide an improved pneumatic unit, and improvedf means for supporting', such units in proper relation to the vacuum chest.

The pneumatic unit is composed of separable sections or layers Which may be quickly taken apart to permit access to the valve and pouch, and as quickly united again aftercleaning or repairing has been done. Heretofore sectional pneumatics have been glued or otherwise permanently fastened together precluding cleaning and repairs being readily made thereto. lhen said former construction is used and any one of the pneumatics fails to operate prop erly it must be replaced by a new one, Whereas my improved pneumatic may be used for a much longer time because it can be taken apart for cleaning and repairs and afterwards reassembled when it is as serviceable as before. Furthermore, my pneumatic unit is made entirely7 o f Wood, so thatiit costs much less to manufacture than prior constructions having metal ,parts which corrode and cause the valves to stick.

The pneumatic units are detachably secured to the vacuum chest by fastening mea-ns each of Which serves `to support ad- `iacent units, so that by taking out two of said fastening means any one of the pneu matics may be removed fromthe piano for inspection. Other objects Will appear as the description proceeds.

The invention Will be first hereinafter described in connection lWith the accompany` ing drawings, which constitutepart of Vthis specification, and then more specifically de- `fined in the claims at the end of the description. Y

In the accompanying drawings, wherein similar reference characters are used to designate corresponding parts throughout ggf ,rneldetahablef taste 1g .page or .tical portion .l5 ,totlie right hand end of thefseotion `3, as fshiolwn 'in'Fignre' 1.

munie ates 1923. Serial No. 641,954.

screws for attaching them to the vacuum chest, and i l Figure 4. is a top plan view of a plurality of the pneumatic units supported in operative position at one end by saiddetachable fastening means connected to the vacuum chest and at the other end by projecting pins engaging a rail `extending parallel .to Said chest as shown in Figure l. i

lhe body of the pneumatic unit l is composed of a plurality. preferably tivo layers or sections of hard Wood Q and 3 which are detachably securedV together by screws lll.. preferably four in number. The upper :section ilV has tivo angular 'passages 5 and 6 formed longitudinally thereof a1id over` lapping one another `at their adjacent ends. The'passage has a horizontal portion 7 opening on ythe upper face of the section 2, and a vertical portion 8 extending entirely through said section and opening on the loweras well as the upper face thereof. The passage 6 has a horiztonal portion 9 underlying but spaced from the horizontal portion 7 of `the passage 5, and another horizontal portion l() arranged at a higher level than the portion 9 and connected thereto by an inclined portion ll. The horizlontal portion l0 of the passage 6 extends near to the right hand end ofthe Section 2 as its appears in Figure l vand beyond the corresponding `end of the lower section 3 of the pneumatic unit. The portion vk9 of the Vpassage 6 communicates With the portion T of the passage 5 overlying the same by means of an opening l2 having a valve seat i3 formed at its ufpper end.

The section 3 of the pneumatic unit body has a vertical passage 14 extending entirely through it and registering with the vertical portion 8 of the passage 5 in the upper section 2. Said section Aalso yhas an angular passage vl5 formed therein, Vthe same coinf .prising a comparatively long VVertical portion 1,6, opening on the upper face of said .section lbelow the :horizontal portion 9 of the Vpassage 6 in the 'section 25 .and a ihori zentral `portion 17 extendingfrom said u liorizontalportion "-1.7 of .thepassage-l coni ith.theinclnedportion :1:1 of .the passage A6 in fthe SectionQf-by vneanjs lf an opening 18 Vpreferablg; reduced @in "size by "la rfiller element 4'1 9 having a pinfhle 20.

Oil.

is arranged between the sections 2 and 3 to make an air tight joint between thein when they are fastened together by the screws el, it beingl understood that said gasket has openings therein correspondiufr to the communicating passages in the two sections.

A bellows is attached to the lower tace of the lower body section 3 ot the pneun'ialic unit in the usual manner, said bellows coni- 'irising a bottoni plate 26 and a flexible ineiner 27 by which said plate is hinged the lower section 2 oit the unit. projecting` lug:r QS on the free end of the plate it is designed to have operative connection with the hammer action of one key ot a piano in any well known manner.

The horizontal portion 7 and the upper end ot the vertical portion S et the passage -5 in the upper section i2 ot the pneumatic body are covered by a plate detachablv fastened in place by screws 30. Said plate Q9 has an opening' 3l therein cou'ununicating; with the passage in vertical alineinent with the valve F23 and ot less diameter than said valve, so that the latter will cover and close said opening when raised.

The section 2 0'1": 'the pneumatic body also has a vertical passage S2 leading 'troni the right hand end ot the passage o to the upper lace ot said section, and in said passage there is tit-ted a tubular ineinber adapted to also tit in an opening` in the bottom oil the vacuum chest 3T. A horizontally plo jectine pin 3G at the leit hand end ol the section 2 is adapted to engage a socket in the inner tace ot a. rail Si" iitaliily supported in the piano (not shown) and extend;- ying parallel to the vacuum chest at a slightly lower level.

The lett hand enos oit the pneuinat are supported by their pins rail 37', while the right hand i units are supported below the vaciuun chest by detachable tastenings or inverted screws 38 best shown in Figure 3. Each ot said screws is arranged between two adjacent units. and its head 39 or a. washer l-O supported thereby is adapted to engage both of said units below the merhangingf right hand end portions ot the sections 2 thereof, see Figures l and 3. .Vith this arrangement the units may be placed very close together, reducing the space occupied by th in in the piano, and the number of the supportingor fastening` screws 38 also re-n duced. lt will also be seen that any one oi: the units may be readily removed b v lirst taking' out the two screws 38 at opposite sides Lthereot, then swinging` the right hand end ot said unit downward slightly lo disengage the tubular ineinher Bil :troni the vaciuun chest and finally reniovingr` the piu 36 in the lett hand end ot said unit ifroni the rail' 3T. The pin $36 has sutiicicnt lier; ibility to permit the slight downward swinging; ot the unit mentioned.

tubul: r nieniber el l'itted in the end ie lwrixcontal portion l? ot the passage 'l is designed to have the usual tube to the tracker bar (not shown) atd thereto. The normal inactive )osi the parts o"" he pneumatic unit are 'u .l igure l, `he inlet ol" air to the vacuum chest being); cut oil'I by the seated ralve 23 and the corresponding opening` in the tracker bar being cl sed by the music strip (not shown). lVhen thax opening in the tracker bar leading to the tubular ineniber Allil. is uncovered during the progressive inoveineiit oif the music strip in the. well known manner, air is admitted below the diaphragm, causingT the suction in the vacuum chest lo raise said diaphragrni and to un feat the valve L13, whereupon the suction from said vacuum chest acts tl'irough the passages (l, and lil and opening' l2 to collapse the bellows 2o and actuate the hanin b v the lunv 28. During; this opcratitm o'l the haruucr` the openinpl -ll in the plate 2li is closed by the valve 223. llf'hen the opening;- in the tracker bar again covered by the niusic strip, the air below the diaphragn'l is exhausted by suction 'troni thc vacuum chest acting through the pin-hole 2() and the valve 23 drops again to is seat. where it is held by said suction, while air is admitted to the bellows through the opening ffl and passag; s 5 and 1.4;, permitting said bellows to expand and, the plate 26 to drop into position for airain actuating the hammer when next raised.

lt will he observed that access inay be had to the lie oit any unit by siinplytaling out the P3() and removing the cover plate ii?) without reii'ioviuq the unit from the piano, and that when said unit has been inovcd 'troni the wicuuin chest and supportinir rail` ready explained, access may be had to iaphragin or pouch by nply removing e screws il and taking ap. t the sections 2 d 5. l. claim: l. A pneumatic unit for player pianos comprising wperposed detachably connected sections, the upper section vhaving two superimposed. recesses therein and a. passage extending between them, a valve arranged in the upper otI said recesses and 'having its stein projecting through said passage into the r ou ,ou fred other recess of the same section, the lower' section of the unit having a recess disposed below the recess in the upper` section into which the Valve stem extends, a valve-supportingI diaphragm coiv'ering' said recess in the lower section, a vacuum chest communicating with the recess in the upper section of the unit into which the valve stem projects, a bellows communicating with the other recess in said upper section, means of communication from the recess in the lower section to the tracker har of a piano, and reduced means of communication between said recess in the lower section and the recess in the upper section which communicates directly with the vacuum chest.

Q. A pneumatic unit for player pianos comprising superposed detachahly connected sections, the upper section having separate recesses therein in overlapping relation and a passage extending,v between them` a valve arranged in one of said recesses of the upper section and having its stem projectingv through said passage into the other,

recess of the same section, the lower section ot' the unit having; a recess disposed below the recess in the upper section into which the valve stem extends, a valve-supporting` diaphragm covering said recess in the lower section, a vacuum chest communieating' with the recess in the upper section of the unit into which the valve stem projects, a bellows communicating with the other recess in said upper section, means of communication from the recess in the lower section to the tracker bar of' a piano, and reduced means of communication between said recess in the lower section and the recess in the upper section which communicates directly with the Vacuum chest, the Valve and contacting; parts of the unit being made of wood tor the purpose. specified.

In testimony whereof I havesig'ned my name to this specification.

THOMAS J. CurREENE. 

